A hint of sunlight trickled into the cave with the dawn, waking Zuko, as it usually did. Blinking awake, he immediately sensed the sleeping waterbender in his arms, snuggled up against him. His first instinct was to pull away, to remove his unwanted touch from her—but then memories of the night came vividly flooding back. Somehow, against all odds, she did want his touch. Or at least, she did last night. In the light of morning, would she still feel the same way?
Zuko tightened his hold on her. If this might be all he would get, then he would bloody well enjoy it. He watched her tenderly as her breath came slowly in and out, thinking that he'd never seen anything so magnificent in his life, not even the most dazzling sunset on the most beautiful Fire Nation beach. Her face was relaxed and peaceful, her hair messily tousled from their excursions the night before. Her naked body fit into his like it was meant to be there. He wished they could stay like this forever. It was enough to make him want to forget all about his honor, his father, the Fire Nation, everything—if only he could.
O – O – O – O – O – O
Katara awoke to the pleasantly soothing sound of the waterfall. She felt warm and coddled and pleasantly sore. With a flash of recognition, she knew the warmth lying with her was Zuko. She kept her eyes closed, soaking in the closeness.
That was the most incredible sex of my life. With Zuko. Zuko! Whose side is he even on now? Worse, do I even care at this point? Of course I do. Of course. But… even if he were still trying to capture Aang, I'm not sure I could say no to him, not after that. Even now, all I want is to roll over and see if he might be ready for another round. I bet he is.
I think I might be in trouble...
She cracked one eye open to see if Zuko was awake yet, and caught the fondest look that she'd ever seen before, from anyone. Noticing her awake, he quickly schooled his face into something less adoring, although contentment still permeated his features.
She tried to quell her thrilled smile and turned to face him, sliding her body against his as she did so.
"Uh. Hi." Zuko said awkwardly.
"Hi yourself."
Zuko's hand slid tentatively to her lower back. "How are you. This morning? In general. How are you?"
Katara snorted with laughter. Where did the haughty fire prince go?
"I'm good. Really good. Maybe too good." She paused. "And a little confused."
Zuko's hand left her back immediately and his face fell.
"Do you regret it?" he asked softly. He looked so vulnerable and sad.
Katara cupped his cheeks in her hands. "Not for a second." She kissed him lightly, slinking closer. His body felt warm and firm, and she molded herself against it. When she pulled back, he couldn't contain a lopsided, dazed smile.
"But you're confused?" he pressed.
"Well, yeah. Can you blame me? You hunt my friends, you shoot fireballs at me, then you help us fight your own sister, and then you save my life in the desert, and now…. But, when I'm with you, like this, it's the only thing I can think about, the only thing I want." She blushed furiously, yet was unable to stop her hands from beginning to stoke his chest and back. "And all that other stuff kind of stops mattering. But it should matter, shouldn't it? I don't even know whose side you're on."
Her thoughts spun on after she stopped talking, Pick my side, I don't think I can go without this now, we'll find a way to explain it to the others, I want to hear you laugh again, I want you to smile at me, your smile lights up your face, it lights up my heart, I need you to kiss me and never stop.
"Whose side I'm on…" Zuko echoed, looking away even as his body began to respond to her closeness. "I'm not on anyone's side anymore. My uncle's, maybe. No one is on my side. I'm just a disgraced fugitive now."
"I can be on your side," she replied gently.
"Don't make promises you can't keep." Zuko scowled. "Besides, you deserve more than an honorless, outcast, penniless failure."
"I'll decide what I deserve," she said, her temper flaring. Then, seeing the pained expression on his face, she softened. "And that's not how I see you. That's not what you are."
Zuko grimaced. "And what do your friends think? The Avatar? I've seen the way he looks at you. What would your friends think if they could see us right now?"
"Wait…" Katara stopped tracing his skin with her fingertips and retreated slightly. "Do you regret it?" She'd been so caught up in her own feelings, misgivings, and desires that she hadn't even thought about what he might be thinking.
Zuko chuckled bitterly and covered his face with his hands. "Spirits, I'm making a mess of this. Let me show you how much I don't regret it."
With that, he encircled her with his arms again and kissed her slowly. Deeply, like he was cherishing every second. Katara melted into him instantly—never before had she felt so enjoyed.
When he finally pulled away, his face shone with affection and something more primal. "Does that answer your question?"
Katara snuggled her head against his chest, sighing contentedly. "This is complicated, isn't it?"
"Yeah." He held her tighter.
Minutes passed. As he held her, Katara felt so at home and her heart squeezed at the thought that it might be fleeting. His hands traced lightly over her skin, skimming her curves. Her body instinctively arched into his touch. Like before, it seemed as though his fingers left little trails of fire across her skin, igniting her with desire as they went. Apparently even last night had not been enough to satiate her; hot lust pooled in her stomach and she forced herself to lay still so she could relish the sensations of his hands exploring her.
Her voice was husky when she broke the silence, "Well, let's not worry about any of that until we have to. Right now, it's just you and me. And I seem to remember a certain firebender threatening me last night about all kinds of indecent things he wanted to do to me…"
Zuko smirked wickedly. "That's right," he said, yanking her roughly against him and pulling her leg up around his hip. She could feel his cock nudging insistently against her inner thigh, already swollen and seeking. His mouth captured hers as his hands moved more purposefully now, taking hold of her buttocks and tugging her closer still.
As she kissed him, the world receded until all she knew was his arms holding her, his mouth on her mouth, his body against hers, and a building, dizzying, demanding need.
She pushed him onto his back and rolled herself on top of him, straddling him on the blankets and rocking her hips to create delicious friction.
Breaking away from the kiss, she whispered in his ear, causing shivers to run through his body. "I want you now."
Zuko guided his cock to her opening but found that, although she was becoming wet and slick already, she was still too tight. Katara growled in annoyance.
"Impatient, aren't you?" he said with a hint of teasing in his voice.
"Yes." She kissed him deeply, then took his cock in her hand and rubbed it playfully. "And so are you, I think."
"How could I not be, waking up to you, waterbender? All it takes is looking at you. But don't worry, I'll get you ready."
A quiver washed over Katara at his words.
Then she found herself being hauled forward as Zuko slid down, bringing his mouth to the juncture of her thighs. When his tongue flicked out, slowly tasting her, she felt her limbs go weak. It became increasingly difficult to hold herself up, but she didn't dare move, either. He licked up and down with agonizing, deliberate motions, until she couldn't hear her own sounds as she lost herself in the flood of exquisite sensations coursing through her.
He began to gradually increase the speed and Katara shook with the effort to not buck her hips. When the tension climbed, inching closer to the peak, she pulled away, breathing heavily.
"I need to feel you inside me," she panted, sliding her body back down so her thighs wrapped around his hips.
Zuko moaned; the shaft of his cock, almost painfully hard, glided against her slit, which was now sopping wet as a result of his efforts. It nearly drove him into a frenzy, just knowing he was responsible for her arousal.
Katara craved the feeling of him. She lowered herself onto his throbbing length, crying out as it filled her, hitting deep places that yearned to be reached. As she drew him in, slowly at first, his hands roamed all over her, following the curve of her back, the dip of her waist, and settling on her firm, round breasts.
Zuko looked up at her and gloried in the sight. Her eyes were half-closed, her mouth open and her face awash with pleasure. Her skin was smooth and flawless. She leaned back as she rode him, and her shapely breasts jutted forward. He watched his own shaft move in and out of her, burying deeper inside with every thrust, feeling the hot, slick, throbbing walls of her passage enfolding him completely.
How could anyone be this beautiful? How could anything feel this incredible? He loved the way she responded to him. The noises she made. The way she tasted. How it felt when he was inside her. He'd never wanted anyone the way he wanted her.
"Fuck, Katara, do you have any idea how amazing you are?" he rasped.
Katara came down again to meet him as he thrust inward, angling herself so his cock hit just the right spot to feed the mounting pressure she felt inside. Zuko, giving in to the force of his passion, seized her hips with a powerful urgency, guiding her faster and faster.
Now it was her turn to admire him, his broad shoulders, corded arms, and muscular chest straining, every nerve and muscle taut with the buildup of tension and with the need of her. The expression on his face was intense, his golden eyes dark and luminous with desire. She longed to run her tongue along his body, but the pressure was reaching a point where changing the rhythm was unthinkable. Sweat glistened on their bodies as they matched their timing, thrust for thrust.
Katara released an almost strangled moan and then a bolt of molten pleasure engulfed her. She was conscious only of the overwhelming sensation of being filled with him as she began to climax in long wracking spasms. A staggering crescendo washed over them, a shuddering eruption, the hot flood of his release joining the pulsating surges of her own.
When it was over, she lowered herself onto him, trembling.
Zuko wrapped his arms around her and stoked her hair. When he finally got his breath back, he repeated, "Just, amazing."
Katara propped her chin on his chest and looked at him, unable to wipe the wide grin off her face. When their eyes met and his face lit up in an equally dumbstruck smile, Katara felt her heart swell.
She said, "I can't seem to stop wanting you. You make me…well, burn." She arched her eyebrow. "Is this some kind of firebender specialty or something?"
Zuko chuckled deep in his throat and brought her hand to his lips so he could kiss her palm. "If it is, I'm going to have to figure out how to harness it so I can keep using it on you."
"Mmm. I don't think I would mind that."
"Good," he said, smiling. He looked into her bright blue eyes and felt lost in their depths.
"I could get used to seeing you smile," she said softly.
Unable to help it, Zuko's smile grew at her words. "It is a pretty rare occurrence. Enjoy it while you can, waterbender." He tried to look stern but couldn't quite wipe the grin off his face.
"So I take it I can expect a return of grumpy Zuko when we get on the road today, then?" she teased.
"Definitely."
"Well it's a good thing I know how to cheer you up now." She nuzzled playfully at his chest. "I don't want a grumpy traveling companion the whole way to Ba Sing Se."
"Oh, I'm going to be very, very grumpy. I'll need a lot of cheering up." He squeezed her buttocks as she laughed.
Still laughing, Katara rolled off of him and sat up. She took a deep breath, the fresh smell of the running waterfall invigorating her.
She sighed, "I guess we'd better start getting going, shouldn't we?" She was loath to leave their mingled sleeping bags and the naked firebender beside her.
It would be so wonderful to just stay in this enchanting cave together and forget the world… but we can't. My friends must be so worried about me, and I can't just turn my back on the war, and everything going on. People need help.
"Yeah, I guess so." Zuko said, looking a little sad.
"Uh oh, looks like you need cheering up already." Katara said, grabbing his hand and placing it on her breast.
Taken by surprise, Zuko snorted with laughter, then blushed.
"Yep. I knew it. Works wonders." She giggled, endlessly amused that he was still blushing, after the night (and morning) they'd had. "Now, how about you join me for a bath?"
O – O – O – O – O – O
Zuko was heating up water for tea as Katara finished up in the pool. They normally started their day without tea, but for some reason Katara had insisted on it this morning. He didn't mind at all, happy to linger in the cave for as long as she wanted. He felt so relaxed, and lighter than he had since… well, since before he could remember, he supposed. As he boiled the water and prepared breakfast, he couldn't help but watch her in the pool, a soft, secret smile playing across his lips.
She got out the pool and dressed, walking over as he poured the tea.
"Just like old times." She grinned, taking the offered tea.
Zuko smiled into his cup. "I think you had more fun than any prisoner has a right to."
Katara took some extra tea leaves out of her pack, sprinkling them into her cup. "Pshh, I don't know about that. I did have to put up with the company of a very cranky fire prince."
"I wasn't cranky. And I was pretty nice to you, all things considered. What are you putting into your tea?"
"Hmm." Katara pretended to think while swishing her tea in its cup. "All things considered being that you held me against my will, tried to interrogate me so you could hunt down my friends, and used me as bait? Is that the 'being nice'you're referring to?" She smiled sweetly at him. "Oh, this is thistleroot tea. It's, um, just something I picked up before we left the village."
"No. I mean, okay, I did do those things. Which, I'm sorry, by the way. But we also had some fun. Didn't we?"
Katara was delighted by how flustered Zuko was getting. It was simply too easy to tease him. She decided to give him a break. "We did. I was pretty surprised by it, actually."
"Me too," he said pensively. He sipped his tea. "So, are you going to share your mystery tea with me?"
Now it was Katara's turn to be flustered. "You don't need it, don't worry about it."
"What? Why not?"
She mumbled into her cup, "it's contraceptive tea"
"It's what?"
"Contraceptive tea! Okay?! It's contraceptive tea!" She blushed furiously.
Zuko's mouth fell open. "Wait? Are you telling me you bought contraceptive tea back when we were still in the village? You bought it, for the journey to Ba Sing Se, with me?"
Katara's blush turned an even deeper red. "Listen, a girl has to be prepared, all right? I always like to carry some on me." She tried to ignore Zuko's increasingly amused grin as she went on, "I like to have it whether or not I'm traveling with inconveniently attractive firebenders, okay? Just, shut up, will you! It's good for other stuff too, not just that. Just a good all-round tea for women's health."
"Sure, yeah. If you say so."
"I do say so! And you should be damn well pleased I did buy it. Otherwise I could get pregnant. And we certainly wouldn't be having any more sex! So you're welcome."
"So you're saying we'll be having more sex."
Katara rolled her eyes, embarrassed and exasperated. She resisted the urge to bend water from the pool and splash him. "Not if you don't wipe that smug look off your face, we won't."
"We'll see about that." He smirked, knowing the empty threat for what it was.